Newport Beach Application Period Opens For Small Business Relief Grants

Press release from the City of Newport Beach:

The application period for the City of Newport Beach Small Business Relief Grant Program opened Friday, June 12 at 8 a.m. and will close Tuesday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m. Eligible businesses can apply:

1. Online (Application goes directly to program adminstrator Orange County Small Business Development Center)
2. Via email to economicdevelopment@newportbeachca.gov
3. In-person at City Hall, City Manager’s Office, 100 Civic Center Drive, Bay 2E, 92660 during regular business hours.

Business owners are strongly encouraged to read the updated program guidelines and take care in completing the application. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. The City anticipates receiving more qualifying applications than the program can fund. If that occurs, after the application period closes, OC SBDC will use a lottery system to randomly select and rank the applications.

The program provides one-time funding to small businesses located within the city that need financial assistance to aid in their recovery from the temporary loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program is being funded by $2.1 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund monies received by the County of Orange and distributed to Newport Beach to use for small business support grant programs. Qualified Newport Beach businesses may receive grants of up to $10,000, depending on the number of employees. Precedence will be given to businesses that provide on-site services, including retail businesses, restaurants, and personal service establishments, specifically, hair salons and barber shops, nail salons, day spas, and small gyms and health clubs.

To be eligible to apply for the Small Business Relief Grant Program, a business will need to demonstrate the need for financial support that is directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic (for example, being forced to shut down and/or had to lay off employees). Other criteria include, but are not limited to:

• The business must be a for-profit business and located within Newport Beach city limits.
• The business must be legal and located in a commercial or industrial space.
• The business must be independently owned and operated, with the principal office located within Newport Beach city limits.
• The officers of the business must reside in Orange County, California.
• The business must have an active Newport Beach business license for a minimum of six (6) months as of June 1, 2020.
• The business must have 30 or less full-time, or an equivalent combination of full and part time employees (two part-time employees equal one full-time employee), including the owner.

For complete Small Business Relief Grant Program details, please visit newportbeachca.gov/businessgrants.

This press release was produced by the City of Newport Beach. The views expressed here are the author’s own.